Top Data masking tools

If you ever wondered how businesses are able to make their data available to developers or third-party organizations without compromising their sensitive data, the answer is quite simply data masking. It’s basically putting a disguise over your data so that it’s functional for purposes of testing or analysis—but no one can see it as it existed before. Whether it’s personal data, money-related data, or medical data, data masking protects it all from snooping. And if you’re searching for the best tools to get the task done, you’re in the right place.

Let’s go through several of the best data masking tools available today, what they have to offer, and why they may be the best fit for your business.

1. K2view
If you’re after a tool that can do it all—structured data, unstructured data, images, PDFs, and so on— K2view just may be your best bet. This is not just another add-on or plugin, but a standalone data masking solution that’s designed to scale and built for performance.

Automation is where K2view truly excels. It is equipped with embedded AI capabilities that locate personally identifiable information (PII) throughout your systems, no matter where the data resides, in a legacy database or in a message queue. It does not just locate the data, though: it even obfuscates it, leveraging more than 200 pre-built methods that automate the work without any need for lines of code. You can customize them, of course, but you do not need to be a developer to begin.

What’s noteworthy is that K2view supports any type of platform or data source. Relational databases? No problem. NoSQL? Flat files? PDFs? Old-school XML documents? Yep, all of them. And it still retains referential integrity throughout, so everything still functions and relates like it’s supposed to—even with structured and unstructured data.

2. Informatica
Informatica is sort of a household term when it comes to data management, and their data mask tool does not fail to impress. It’s one of the more mature solutions, with many big businesses putting trust in it.

What truly sets Informatica apart here is that it supports both static and dynamic data masking. So, whether you’re dealing with data that’s residing in files and databases, or something that’s accessed in real-time, it’s there for you. The interface is sleek, and there’s quite a lot of customization that can be done, which is good if your organization needs data to be hidden in certain very particular kinds of ways.

That being said, it may be a tad overkill for small teams or businesses just starting out. But if you’re handling enormous quantities of sensitive information and require real control, it’s an option worth looking into.

3. IBM InfoSphere Optim
IBM InfoSphere Optim is yet another heavyweight. It’s aimed at businesses with complicated databases who want to mask sensitive data without disrupting the way applications or reports consume the data.

What’s nice about this tool is that it doesn’t just mask data, but it assists with archiving and managing it as well. So if you want more of an all-around solution that assists with data throughout its whole life, this one’s quite good.

The tool from IBM plays nicely with big database platforms, and it’s particularly famous for preserving referential integrity. What we’re saying there is that when it covers your data, it ensures everything still relates properly in the database.

4. Delphix
Delphix does things slightly differently. Rather than treating data masking as an independent feature, Delphix is all about enabling organizations to go faster while still protecting their sensitive data.

It employs data virtualization, which means they make virtual copies of your database, not physical ones. This accelerates everything—from testing to development, analytics, and so forth. And yes, they do mask the data too, so you’re not giving out the real deal.

If you are using agile development or DevOps and want to have something that works well with new workflow patterns, Delphix could become your new best friend. It’s quick, adaptable, and relatively easy to master.

5. Oracle Data Masking and Subsetting
If you have many Oracle products in your technology stack, it may just make sense to use Oracle’s data masking tool. It’s part of Oracle Enterprise Manager and seamlessly integrates with Oracle databases.

The tool allows you to mask your data and subset it, so you can work with only part of the database, not the entire database. That’s useful if you want to cut down on storage space and increase testing speed without sacrificing security.

One important point to note is that the tool is quite Oracle-specific. That’s terrific if you’re in an Oracle world, but it may not be an optimal tool for you if you function with several different database systems.

6. Microsoft SQL Server Data Masking
If you’re already working with Microsoft SQL Server, the built-in data masking features may be sufficient. It’s not quite as robust as a few of the others, but it does work for many straightforward use cases. This feature enables you to specify masking rules right in your database without ever altering the underlying data. So, for instance, the credit card number could appear as only the last four digits to individuals who lack the proper permissions. 

It’s very easy to install, particularly if you’re already working with SQL Server databases. For internal applications or small businesses, this may be the easiest option—no additional software required. 

Wrapping It Up

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution when selecting a data masking tool. Some are designed for huge enterprises with layers upon layers of compliance requirements. Others are suitable for small teams who just need to keep their data confidential without losing their minds. The good news? No matter what your size or setup is, there’s a data masking solution out there that can help you share and use data safely—without risking a privacy nightmare.